This Way Out

For a quarter of a century, the unfettered voices of LGBT people have been broadcast around the world on "This Way Out: The International LGBT Radio Magazine." It's distributed weekly to over 200 local community and online radio stations around the world, can be heard via podcast and direct satellite (World Radio Network), and is available on CD by subscription.
For our whole story -- including how you can contribute -- please visit our website!

And in <i><a href="http://bit.ly/1wi7Y5s">NewsWrap</a></i>: two-year betrothal for Finland's marriage equality, Ireland sets the date, much Moore to argue in Alabama, no religious trump card for discrimination in Washington, and more news reported this week by Sarah Sweeney and John Dyer V (produced by Steve Pride, written by Greg Gordon).

This Way Out was funded this week by the Kicking Assets Fund of the Tides Foundation, the Yavanna Foundation, the estate of Christopher David Trentham, and by our generous listeners. Donate today to help support our work -- and the free distribution of the show to non-commercial radio stations -- at thiswayout.org!

Breaking With Convention - a second Tokyo district hints at offering partnership certificates to lesbian and gay pairs, and Japan's Prime Minister tells parliament that the constitution doesn't permit marriage equality …

Yours, Mine, But Not Theirs - Colombia's highest court allows same-gender couples to adopt their partner's biological offspring, but refuses to open adoption to lesbian and gay couples more generally …

Time Warped - two men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana are arrested for "crimes against nature," even though the U.S. Supreme Court declared such laws unconstitutional in 2003 …

First, A Pig Flies - a Wyoming Republican is ejected from a state House committee for trying to amend an LGBT anti-bias bill with an effective date of "when hell freezes over" …

Notrump Ruling - a Washington state judge rules that religious belief does not give a business open to the public a license to discriminate against gays and lesbians …

Grammy-winning single Sam Smith and his Lonely quadruplets visit Ellen.

And in NewsWrap: disinterest defeats a homophobic Slovakian referendum, a Tokyo district pushes a partnership plan, there's no cure for a fake disease in New Jersey, and more news reported this week by Michael LeBeau and Natalie Peoples (produced by Steve Pride, written by Greg Gordon).

This Way Out was funded this week by the Kicking Assets Fund of the Tides Foundation, the Yavanna Foundation, the estate of Christopher David Trentham, and by our generous listeners. Donate today to help support our work -- and the free distribution of the show to non-commercial radio stations -- at thiswayout.org!

Balancing the Fairness Books - the new Greek government proposes civil unions for queer couples …

Honorable Mention - the Tokyo district of Shibuya plans to offer “partnership certificates," which would be the first-ever recognition of lesbian and gay couples in Japan …

Fake Diseases Can't Be Cured - a New Jersey judge rules that businesses pushing “change therapy” to make gays and lesbians heterosexual are violating the state’s Consumer Fraud Act …

Partisan Bullies' Pulpit - a Republican-controlled U.S. House committee kills proposals to protect LGBT students …

Bias Unbound - Arkansas lawmakers ban enactment of city or county laws in the state to protect LGBT people from discrimination …

Straight Scandal Yields Bi First - Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown is set to become the first openly bisexual governor in the United States …

Risks of Brownbacking - Jon Stewart reminds us how much we’ll miss him when he leaves “The Daily Show” later this year with his searing satirical report about GOP Kansas Governor Sam Brownback rescinding state anti-bias protections for LGBT people ….

UK singer-songwriter Sam Smith is grateful for four big Grammys -- and the broken heart that made it possible.

And in NewsWrap: Grammy honoree John Legend goes on the record against Brunei barbarism, Obama budgets for Social Security parity, 300 same-gender Michigan couples are still married, trans activists create change in Denver, and more news reported this week by Chrisanne Eastwood and Michael LeBeau (produced by Steve Pride, written by Greg Gordon).

This Way Out was funded this week by the Kicking Assets Fund of the Tides Foundation, the Yavanna Foundation, the estate of Christopher David Trentham, and by our generous listeners. Donate today to help support our work -- and the free distribution of the show to non-commercial radio stations -- at thiswayout.org!

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

NewsWrap for the week ending February 7, 2015

SUMMARY

Hollow Honor - “Stone the Gays” Brunei is back in the news with the withdrawal by singer/songwriter John Legend from a pre-Grammys party in his honor at the Sultan of Brunei-owned Beverly Hills Hotel …

Safety Net Equality - U.S. President Barack Obama’s 2016 budget includes a proposal to guarantee Social Security benefits for all legally married same-gender couples, even if they live in a state that doesn’t recognize their marriage …

Just Married (A While Ago) - Michigan recognizes gay and lesbian couples who married in the state during a brief period late last year when they could …

Suspense - same-gender couples in Alabama were expected to begin getting marriage licenses on February 9th, barring a last-minute intercession by the US Supreme Court …

Short Change - queer-supportive Denver, Colorado Mayor Michael Hancock cancels his appearance at the 27th annual National LGBTQ Task Force Creating Change Conference in his city after activists storm the stage to protest the Denver Police shooting death of transgender Latina teen Jessie Hernandez …

Cream of the Crop - out Houston, Texas Mayor Annise Parker is named the best city leader in America …

Monday, February 09, 2015

The Right and Left Hands of God

U.S. Republicans board a ship of fools with harbingers of hate from the American Family Association for a visit to Israel, as MSNBC's Rachel Maddow reports (including several outrageous pronouncements by AFA mouthpiece Bryan Fischer).

This Way Out was funded this week by the Kicking Assets Fund of the Tides Foundation, the Yavanna Foundation, the estate of Christopher David Trentham, and by our generous listeners. Donate today to help support our work -- and the free distribution of the show to non-commercial radio stations -- at thiswayout.org!

Party to Persecution - twelve young men in northern Nigeria are busted by Islamic state police for “planning a gay wedding” …

Which Mob Do You Prefer? - nine young gay men in Uganda are attacked by a mob, arrested by police and tortured behind bars …

Cue Cops - an Egyptian appeals court closes the cases against 26 men who were charged with “debauchery” in December in an infamously-televised Cairo bathhouse raid …

On Your Honor - zsthe California Supreme Court bans all judges in the state from membership in any nonprofit youth organization that discriminates against LGBT people -- most notably the Boy Scouts of America …

A Road to Enigma - a Sicilian city names a road for gay British World War II Nazi code-breaker Alan Turing, whose achievements are celebrated in the Oscar-nominated “The Imitation Game”, and also memorialized in several locales in the U.K. - including a statue in a park bordering the “gay village” in Manchester ….